To be published week of January 30, 2012 – February 5, 2012
MONDAY NONFICTION
TUESDAY FICTION
TUESDAY NONFICTION
Bookmark to:
New, Noteworthy, and No-Brainer
January 26th, 2012Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, Alex, King, and Other Youth Award Winners
January 23rd, 2012John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature:
Jack Gantos – “Dead End in Norvelt”
Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book
Chris Raschka – “A Ball for Daisy”
Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults
John Corey Whaley – “Where Things Come Back”
Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing African American authors
Kadir Nelson – “Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans”
Coretta Scott King Book Award for illustration
Shane W. Evans – “Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom”
Pura Belpre Award honoring a Latino illustrator
Duncan Tonatiuh – “Diego Rivera: His World and Ours”
Belpre Author Award
Guadalupe Garcia McCall – “Under the Mesquite”
Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults
Susan Cooper
Theodor Geisel Award for most distinguished beginning reader book
Josh Schneider – “Tales for Very Picky Eaters”
William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens
John Corey Whaley – “Where Things Come Back”
Schneider Family Book Award for best teen book embodying an artistic expression of the disability experience
Wendelin Van Draanen – “The Running Dream”
Schneider Award for middle-school readers
Joan Bauer – “Close to Famous”
Brian Selznick – “Wonderstruck: A Novel in Words and Pictures”
Alex Awards for adult books that appeal to teen audiences
“Big Girl Small” by Rachel DeWoskin
“In Zanesville” by Jo Ann Beard
“The Lover’s Dictionary” by David Levithan
“The New Kids: Big Dreams and Brave Journeys at a High School for Immigrant Teens” by Brooke Hauser
“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern
“Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline
“Robopocalypse: A Novel” by Daniel H. Wilson
“Salvage the Bones” by Jesmyn Ward
“The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures” by Caroline Preston
“The Talk-Funny Girl” by Roland Merullo
Bookmark to:
Brody, Shores, Hurston, Stonewall Prize Winners from ALA Midwinter Conference
January 23rd, 2012Sophie Brody Medal for Outstanding Jewish Literature:
“Sacred Trash: the Lost and Found World of the Cairo Geniza” by Adina Hoffman and Peter Cole (Schocken Books)
Honor Books:
“Jerusalem: the Biography” by Simon Sebag Montefiore (Alfred A. Knopf)
“MetaMaus” by Art Spiegelman (Pantheon Books)
“Quiet Americans: Stories” by Erika Dreifus (Last Light Studio Books)
Louis Shores Award for Book Reviewing
Sarah L. Johnson, professor of library services at Eastern Illinois University and author of the blog Reading the Past and book review editor, The Historical Novels Review
2012 Zora Neale Hurston Award for Outstanding African-American Literature
Vanessa Irvin Morris, author of The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Street Literature (ALA Editions)
Stonewall Book Award for exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience
Bil Wright – “Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy”
Bookmark to:
RUSA’s Inaugural Listen List: Outstanding Audiobook Narration
January 23rd, 2012“All Clear,” by Connie Willis. Narrated by Katherine Kellgren. Brilliance Audio. (ISBN 978-1-4418-7576-1).
This sequel to “Blackout,” a stellar science fiction adventure, follows the plight of a group of historians from 2060, trapped in WWII England during the Blitz. In a narrative tour de force, Kellgren brings to life a large cast of characters, including a pair of street-smart urchins who capture the hearts of characters and listeners alike.
Listen-Alikes:
“Away” by Amy Bloom. Narrated by Barbara Rosenblat. HighBridge.
“Pirate King” by Laurie R. King. Narrated by Jenny Sterlin. Recorded Books.
“Year of Wonders” by Geraldine Brooks. Narrated by Josephine Bailey. Books on Tape.
“Bossypants,” by Tina Fey. Narrated by Tina Fey. Hachette Audio. (ISBN 978-1-60941-969-1). AudioGO. (ISBN 978-1-60941-719-2).
In a very funny memoir made decidedly funnier by its reader, Tina Fey relates sketches and memories of her time at SNL and Second City as well as the difficulties of balancing career and motherhood. In a voice dripping with wit, she acts out the book, adding extra-aural elements that print simply cannot convey.
Listen-Alikes:
“Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim,” by David Sedaris. Narrated by David Sedaris. Hachette Audio.
“I Was Told There’d Be Cake,” by Sloane Crosley. Narrated by Sloane Crosley. Penguin Audio.
“The Partly Cloudy Patriot,” by Sarah Vowell. Narrated by Sarah Vowell. Simon & Schuster Audio.
“The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey,” by Walter Mosley. Narrated by Dominic Hoffman. Penguin Audio. (ISBN 978-0-14-242856-6). Books on Tape. (ISBN 978-0-3078-7583-9).
Dominic Hoffman reads this elegiac novel of memory and redemption with fierce grace, inhabiting Mosley’s characters with voices perfectly crafted in pitch and rhythm. His rough, gravelly narration manages the pace and mood of the book with astounding skill, brilliantly capturing the mental clarity and fog of 91-year-old Ptolemy Grey’s world.
Listen-Alikes:
“Emily, Alone,” by Stewart O’Nan. Narrated by Andrea Gallo. Recorded Books.
“Flowers for Algernon,” by Daniel Keyes. Narrated by Jeff Woodman. Recorded Books.
“Noah’s Compass,” by Anne Tyler. Narrated by Arthur Morey. Random House Audio. Books on Tape.
“Life Itself: A Memoir,” by Roger Ebert. Narrated by Edward Herrmann. Hachette Audio (ISBN 978-1-60941-035-3). AudioGO. (ISBN 978-1-61113-792-7).
Ebert’s clear-eyed account chronicles his life from his youth in Urbana, Illinois, to his fame as a world-renowned film critic in Chicago. Herrmann’s engaging, affable reading mirrors the author’s tone—honest, often humorous, sometimes bittersweet—as he unhurriedly ushers listeners through Ebert’s moving reflections on a life well lived.
Listen-Alikes:
“Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life,” by Steve Martin. Narrated by Steve Martin. Simon & Schuster Audio. Recorded Books.
“Chapters from My Autobiography,” by Mark Twain. Narrated by Bronson Pinchot. AudioGO.
“Life,” by Keith Richards and James Fox. Narrated by Keith Richards, Johnny Depp and Joe Hurley. Hachette Audio.
“Middlemarch,” by George Eliot. Narrated by Juliet Stevenson. NAXOS. (ISBN 978-184-379-439-4).
Juliet Stevenson brings crisp clarity, a witty sensibility and a charming tonal quality to Eliot’s masterpiece of provincial life. Through her deft management of pacing and tone, she reveals character motivation and illuminates the many themes of the novel. But most of all she reclaims Eliot for listeners who thought they did not enjoy classics.
Listen-Alikes:
“The Age of Innocence,” by Edith Wharton. Narrated by Lorna Raver. Blackstone Audio.
“Jane Eyre,” by Charlotte Brontë. Narrated by Nadia May. Blackstone Audio.
“Pride and Prejudice,” by Jane Austen. Narrated by Josephine Bailey. Tantor Media.
“The Mischief of the Mistletoe,” by Lauren Willig. Narrated by Kate Reading. Penguin Audio. (ISBN 978-0-14-242830-6).
In this Regency Christmas caper, a pudding, a spy, a hilarious school theatrical and a memorable country house party lead to laughter, love and an offer of marriage. Reading’s lovely English accent and exuberance are a perfect fit for the wide range of characters, from young girls to male teachers to members of the aristocracy.
Listen-Alikes:
“The Black Cobra Quartet,” series by Stephanie Laurens. Narrated by Simon Prebble. Harper Audio. Blackstone Audio.
“The Scarlet Pimpernel,” by Baroness Emma Orczy. Narrated by Ralph Cosham. Blackstone Audio.
“The Talisman Ring,” by Georgette Heyer. Narrated by Phyllida Nash. AudioGO.
“One of Our Thursdays is Missing” by Jasper Fforde. Narrated by Emily Gray. Recorded Books. (ISBN 978-1-4498-4675-6).
In this genre-bending romp, the “written” Thursday must rescue the “real” Thursday from a nefarious Bookworld plot. Emily Gray wears Thursday like a second skin, as she does the robots, dodos, and space aliens running around. The story is paced such that every nuance of pun and word play is captured and rendered aurally.
Listen-Alikes:
“Blackout,” by Connie Willis. Narrated by Katherine Kellgren. Brilliance Audio.
“The Peculiar Crimes Unit Mysteries,” series by Christopher Fowler. Narrated by Tim Goodman. Recorded Books/Clipper Audio.
“Relative Danger,” by Charles Benoit. Narrated by Patrick Lawlor. Blackstone Audio.
“A Red Herring Without Mustard,” by Alan Bradley. Narrated by Jayne Entwistle. Random House Audio (ISBN 978-0-307-57643-9). Books On Tape. (ISBN 978-0-3077-0479-5).
Flavia de Luce, a terrifyingly proficient 11-year-old amateur chemist and sleuth, investigates the beating of a gypsy and the death of a villager in this third outing. Entwistle’s spot-on narration reveals the irrepressible, intrepid heroine’s prowess and captures a delicious range of secondary characters in these whimsical mysteries set in 1950s rural England.
Listen-Alikes:
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee. Narrated by Sissy Spacek. Harper Audio/Caedmon. Recorded Books.
“Special Topics in Calamity Physics,” by Marisha Pessi. Narrated by Emily Janice Card. Penguin Audio. Books on Tape.
“Tallgrass” by Sandra Dallas. Narrated by Lorelei King. Macmillan Audio. BBC Audiobooks America.
“The Snowman,” by Jo Nesbø. Narrated by Robin Sachs. Random House Audio. (ISBN 978-0-307-91750-8). Books On Tape. (ISBN 978-0-307-91752-2).
The icy chill of the Norwegian countryside and a series of cold-blooded murders dominate this Harry Hole crime novel. Sachs contrasts Hole’s world-weary professional attitude, his unquenchable thirst for justice and his yearning for love and comfort, as he skillfully maintains a suspenseful pace and projects an overarching sense of doom.
Listen-Alikes:
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” by Stieg Larsson. Narrated by Simon Vance. Books on Tape.
“Hell is Empty,” by Craig Johnson. Narrated by George Guidall. Recorded Books.
“Rain Gods,” by James Lee Burke. Narrated by Tom Stechschulte. Recorded Books.
“A Tale of Two Cities,” by Charles Dickens. Narrated by Simon Prebble. Blackstone Audio. (ISBN 978-1-4551-0867-1).
The tragedy and heroism of the French Revolution come alive through Prebble’s distinctive and graceful narration. As the lives of Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton intersect, Prebble takes listeners deep into France and England, narrating terrifying descriptions and breathless acts of courage with a cadence that sweeps one away.
Listen-Alikes:
“Les Misérables,” by Victor Hugo. Narrated by George Guidall. Recorded Books.
“Sharpe’s Fury,” by Bernard Cornwell. Narrated by Steven Crossley. Recorded Books.
“War and Peace,” by Leo Tolstoy. Narrated by Frederick Davidson. Blackstone Audio.
“The Tiger’s Wife,” by Téa Obreht. Narrated by Susan Duerden and Robin Sachs. Random House Audio (978-0-307-87700-0). Books On Tape. (ISBN 978-0-307-87702-4).
In this imaginative novel, Balkan physician Natalia, on a mission of mercy, learns of her beloved grandfather’s death. Duerden’s mesmerizing voice leads listeners through the complexities of this rich novel with its intertwining stories, while Sachs memorably relates her grandfather’s haunting tales in a gentle and gruff voice.
Listen-Alikes:
“Bel Canto,” by Ann Patchett. Narrated by Anna Fields. Harper Audio. Blackstone Audio.
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” by Jonathan Safran Foer. Narrated by Jeff Woodman, Barbara Caruso, Richard Ferrone. Recorded Books.
“Pretty Birds,” by Scott Simon. Narrated by Christina Moore. Recorded Books.
“Why Read Moby-Dick?,” by Nathaniel Philbrick. Narrated by Nathaniel Philbrick. Penguin Audio. (ISBN 978-1-61176-024-8). Books on Tape. (ISBN 978-0-307-96967-5)
In what should be required reading before cracking the pages of Moby-Dick, Nathaniel Philbrick’s homage to this great American novel compels the listener to experience Melville with an almost incandescent joy. His voice resonates with palpable enthusiasm and calls to mind a New England professor giving a fascinating lecture.
Listen-Alikes:
“Moby-Dick,” by Herman Melville. Narrated by Frank Muller. Recorded Books.
“My Reading Life,” by Pat Conroy. Narrated by Pat Conroy. Random House Audio. Books on Tape.
“The Swerve,” by Stephen Greenblatt. Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini. Recorded Books.
Bookmark to:
2012 Notable Books List
January 23rd, 2012FICTION:
Banks, Russell. “Lost Memory of Skin.” Ecco. 9780061857638
A surprisingly sympathetic exploration of the lives and treatment of sex offenders and how this reflects on our society.
Barnes, Julian. “The Sense of an Ending.” Knopf. 9780307957122
A 60-something retiree living near London searches through his memories to discern what role, if any, he may have played in a decades-old tragedy.
deWitt, Patrick. “The Sisters Brothers.” Ecco. 9780062041265
A darkly comic and quixotic quest western tale about two brothers whose divergent world views are presented in sparkling prose and originality.
Goldman, Francisco. “Say Her Name.” Grove. 9780802119810
Poetic novelization of the author’s struggle to cope with his young wife’s accidental death.
Harbach, Chad. “The Art of Fielding.” Little, Brown. 9780316126694
One man’s failure to attain perfection on the baseball field reveals the pain and beauty that life offers in this psychologically astute novel.
MacLeod, Alexander. “Light Lifting.” Biblioasis. 9781897231944
Seven fearless short stories explore the limits of physical and emotional endurance in muscular prose.
Obreht, Téa. “The Tiger’s Wife.” Random House. 9780385343831
After the death of her beloved grandfather, a young doctor navigates family history, folklore and love across ethnic barriers in a war-torn country.
Ondaatje, Michael. “The Cat’s Table.” Knopf. 9780307700117
An adventurous 21-day ocean voyage filled with a rich assortment of characters and escapades resonates through a boy’s life on his way to a new life.
Phillips, Arthur. “The Tragedy of Arthur.” Random House. 9781400066476
In an adulthood marred by family dysfunction, an author who dislikes Shakespeare reluctantly finds himself in possession of the Bard’s lost gem. Or does he?
Russell, Karen. “Swamplandia!” Knopf. 9780307263995
An inventive story set in an alligator theme-park navigates boundaries between childhood and adulthood, imagination and reality, in an American landscape both familiar and surreal.
Torres, Justin. “We the Animals.” Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 9780547576725
Searing portrait of a troubled, mixed-race working class family centers on the youngest son as he struggles to find his identity amid affection and abuse.
Trevor, William. “Selected Stories.” Viking. 9780670022069
These finely sculpted and timeless stories provide a greater appreciation for finding beauty in the minutiae of daily life.
NONFICTION:
Adams, Mark. “Right Turn at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time.” Dutton. 9780525952244
In this humorous travelogue, the author sprinkles historical anecdote with investigative reporting as he retraces the steps of early explorers into ancient Peru.
Bartók, Mira. “The Memory Palace.” Free Press. 9781439183311
Beautifully wrought memoir chronicles the 17-year estrangement of the author and her homeless, schizophrenic mother and the painful reunion that brings them together.
Gleick, James. “The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood.” Knopf. 9780375423727
This comprehensive study, a melodious interplay between science and literature, documents the transmission of human knowledge from the talking drums to the Internet.
Greenblatt, Stephen. “The Swerve: How the World Became Modern.” Norton. 9780393064476
Meditation on the power of literature, examining how a medieval book hunter’s serendipitous discovery of an ancient prose poem provides a theoretical bridge to the Renaissance.
Hillenbrand, Laura. “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.” Random House. 9781400064168
An Olympic runner’s physical and inner strength is tested by the experience and aftermath of a plane crash, 42 days at sea and Japanese imprisonment.
Hitchens, Christopher. “Arguably: Essays.” Twelve. 9781455502776
Polymath and public intellectual displays his considerable range and biting wit in these thoughtful, incisive pieces that provoke and challenge.
Homans, Jennifer. “Apollo’s Angels: A History of Ballet.” Random House. 9781400060603
Elegant, authoritative work traces the evolution of classical dance from the 16th century to today, highlighting social and cultural dimensions of this traditional art form.
Kahneman, Daniel. “Thinking, Fast and Slow.” Farrar, Strauss, Giroux. 9780374275631
Entertaining look at the complexities and oddities that characterize our mental processes from the only psychologist ever to have won the Nobel Prize for Economics.
Marable, Manning. “Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention.” Viking. 9780670022205
Definitive work on his life and transformation from petty thief to charismatic leader of during the turbulent civil rights era.
Millard, Candace. “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President.” Doubleday. 9780385526265
Era of great corruption and change in U.S. history is illuminated through the tragic story of two men – one destined for greatness, the other a madman.
Mukherjee, Siddhartha. “Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer.” Scribner. 9781439107959
The history of these diseases and their treatment is examined through the stories of those seeking to discover a cure and the individuals affected.
Reitman, Janet. “Inside Scientology: The Story of America’s Most Secretive Religion.” Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 9780618883028
An investigation of the origins, personalities and controversies of this uniquely American religious movement.
POETRY:
Rimbaud, Arthur. “Illuminations.” Translated by John Ashbery. Norton. 9780393076356
A vigorous new translation of the French prodigy’s last poems as rendered by one of America’s finest contemporary poets.
Bartlett, Jennifer, Sheila Black and Michael, Northen. “Beauty is a Verb: The New Poetry of Disability.” Cinco Puntos. 9781935955054
Collection of poems and essays that provides insight into the lives of the estimated 50 million Americans with disabilities.
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The Reading List Prize Winners
January 23rd, 2012The Reading List: Best Genre Fiction
Adrenaline:
Before I Go To Sleep,” by S. J. Watson, Harper Collins, 9780062060556
Each morning, Christine wakes with no memory. From the clues she left herself, she tries to piece together her identity and sort lies from the truth. The unrelenting pace thrusts the reader into the confusion of a waking nightmare in which revelations of her past lead to a frantic crescendo.
READ-ALIKES:
“The Likeness,” by Tana French
“Shutter Island,” by Dennis Lehane
“Memento,” (Summit Entertainment, 2000)
SHORT LIST:
“Now You See Me” by S. J. Bolton, St. Martin’s, 9780312600525
“Spiral” by Paul McEuen, Dial Press, 9780385342117
“The Woodcutter” by Reginald Hill, Harper Collins, 9780062060747
“You’re Next” by Gregg Hurwitz, St. Martin’s, 9780312534912
Fantasy
“The Night Circus,” by Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday, 9780385534635
Le Cirque des Rêves is utterly unique, disappearing at dawn in one town only to mysteriously reappear in another. At the heart of the circus are two young magicians, involved in a competition neither completely understands. The dreamlike atmosphere and vivid imagery make this fantasy unforgettable.
READ-ALIKES:
“Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell,” by Susanna Clarke
“Shadow of the Windby,” Carlos Ruiz Zafón
“Prestige,” (Touchstone Pictures, 2006)
SHORT LIST:
“Daughter of Smoke and Bone,” by Laini Taylor, Little, Brown, 9780316134026
“The Magician King,” by Lev Grossman, Viking, 9780670022311
“The Wise Man’s Fear,” by Patrick Rothfuss, DAW, 9780756404734
“Zoo City,” by Lauren Beukes, Angry Robot, 9780857660558
Historical Fiction
“Doc” by Mary Doria Russell, Random House, 9781400068043
In the early days of Dodge City, a genteel, tubercular Southern dentist forges a friendship with the infamous Earp brothers. Combining historical details and lyrical language, this gritty psychological portrait of gunslinger Doc Holliday reveals how the man became the legend.
READ-ALIKES:
“Deadwood,” by Pete Dexter
“Etta,” by Gerald Kolpan
“Gunman’s Rhapsody,” by Robert B. Parker
SHORT LIST:
“Bright and Distant Shores,” by Dominic Smith, Pocket Books, 9781439198865
“Lionheart,” by Sharon Kay Penman, Putnam, 9780399157851
“Rules of Civility,” by Amor Towles, Viking, 9780670022694
“The Sea Captain’s Wife,” by Beth Powning, Penguin, 9780452296954
Horror
“The Ridge,” by Michael Koryta, Little, Brown, 9780316053662
The unexplained death of an eccentric lighthouse keeper in the isolated Kentucky woods, followed by a mysterious threat to a nearby large cat sanctuary prompt an investigation by a journalist and the local sheriff. Palpable evil and a sense of dread drive this chilling tale.
READ-ALIKES:
“The Dead Path,” by Stephen Irwin
“Those Across the River,” by Christopher Buehlman
“Harbor,” by John Ajvide Lindqvist
SHORT LIST:
“The Last Werewolf,” by Glen Duncan, Knopf, 9780307595089
“The Night Strangers,” by Chris Bohjalian, Crown, 9780307394996
“Raising Stony Mayhall,” by Daryl Gregory, Del Rey, 9780345522375
“The White Devil,” by Justin Evans, Harper Collins, 9780061728273
Mystery
“The Devotion of Suspect X,” by Keigo Higashino, Minotaur, 9780312375065
An introverted mathematician matches wits with a brilliant former colleague to protect the neighbor he secretly adores from a murder charge. Although the reader knows the murderer’s identity from the beginning, this unconventional Japanese mystery remains a taut psychological puzzle.
READ-ALIKES:
“Out,” by Natsuo Kirino
“Think of a Number,” by John Verdon
“Sherlock,” (BBC, 2010-2012)
SHORT LIST:
“Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead,” by Sara Gran, Houghton, Mifflin, 9780547428499
“Killed at the Whim of a Hat,” by Colin Cotterill, Minotaur, 9780312564537
“The Snowman,” by Jo Nesbo, Knopf, 9780307595867
“A Trick of the Light,” by Louise Penny, Minotaur, 9780312655457
Romance
“Silk is for Seduction” by Loretta Chase, Avon, 9780061632686
Ambitious dressmaker Marcelline Noirot will do almost anything to secure the patronage of the Duke of Clevendon’s intended bride. Neither her calculated business plan nor his campaign of seduction can withstand the force of their mutual attraction. Witty banter and strong-willed characters make this a memorable tale.
READ-ALIKES:
“Dangerous in Diamonds,” by Madeline Hunter
“The Raven Prince,” by Elizabeth Hoyt
“Untie My Heart,” by Judith Ivory
SHORT LIST:
“Dragon Bound,” by Thea Harrison, Berkley, 9780425241509
“A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal,” by Meredith Duran, Pocket, 9781451606935
“My One And Only,” by Kristin Higgins, Harlequin, 9780373775576
“When Beauty Tamed the Beast,” by Eloisa James, Avon, 9780062021274
Science Fiction
“Leviathan Wakes,” by James S.A. Corey, Orbit, 9780316129084
The missions of a jaded cop and a dedicated ice hauler officer collide as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. A mystery adds a noir touch to this space opera featuring deeply flawed yet heroic characters, non-stop action and Earth versus Mars politics.
READ-ALIKES:
“Up Against It,” by M. J. Locke
“Pandora’s Star,” by Peter Hamilton
“The Quiet War,” by Paul J. McAuley
SHORT LIST:
“Embassytown,” by China Miéville, Del Rey, 9780345524492
“The Quantum Thief,” by Hannu Rajaniemi, Tor, 9780765329493
“Ready Player One,” by Ernest Cline, Crown, 9780307887436
“When She Woke,” by Hillary Jordan, Algonquin, 9781565126299
Women’s Fiction
“The Language of Flowers,” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Ballantine, 9780345525543
A former foster child struggles to overcome a past filled with abuse, neglect and anger. Communicating through the Victorian language of flowers allows her to discover hope, redemption and a capacity for love. Damaged, authentic characters create an emotional tension in this profoundly moving story.
READ-ALIKES:
“Like Family,” by Paula McLain (NF)
“The Lost Garden,” by Helen Humphreys
“White Oleander,” by Janet Fitch
SHORT LIST:
“Deep Down True” by Juliette Fay, Penguin, 9780143118510
“Joy for Beginners” by Erica Bauermeister, Putnam, 9780399157127
“The Weird Sisters” by Eleanor Brown, Putnam, 9780399157226
“What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty, Penguin, 9780141043760
Bookmark to:
RA Run Down
January 22nd, 2012The readers’s advisory librarian’s weekly update, from a scan of more than 100 blogs, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and television. This blog is brought to you by the Reader’s Advisor Online. TRY THE FREE RA DATABASE based on Libraries Unlimited’s print Genreflecting Advisory series. Give it a whirl and let us know how you like it. We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to comment on any of our posts, or contact us at raoblog@lu.com. Also check out our free newsletter with more in-depth articles at Reader’s Advisor News.
By Cindy Orr and Sarah Statz Cords
New To the Bestseller Lists This Week:
FICTION
NONFICTION
GRAPHIC BOOKS
To Be Published Week of Jan 23-29, 2012:
Fiction
Nonfiction
This is just a sample from our picks of the week. Scroll down or click here for the complete list, including ISBNs.
Best Books of 2011
It’s Best Books of the Year season! Look to the right hand column for our collection of links, or click here. As we find new lists, we’ll add them at the top of the column.
News of the Week:
Washington Post highlights library struggles to provide enough ebooks
What happens when you stop reading books
Arizona’s ban on ethnic studies results in pulling books from the curriculum–including The Tempest
Another self-pubbed author hits the big time
How to add GoodReads to your Facebook timeline
Horror Writers of America announce new award: The Bram Stoker Vampire Novel of the Century
RomanceNews.net: the site devoted to romantic fiction for men
Grand Central to launch a 4-title/month digital romance line
Confessions of a Publisher: “We’re in Amazon’s Sights and They’re Going to Kill Us”
Supreme Court Says Congress May Re-Copyright Public Domain Works
Study says no difference in children’s comprehension of print books vs. eBooks
Storytime not just for kids anymore
Professional Development Opportunities:
Books on Screen
On the set of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Coriolanus movie companion volume: Coriolanus: The Shooting Script (Newmarket Press for It Books, $19.95, 9780062202574), includes the screenplay, a foreword by Ralph Fiennes, introduction and scene notes by screenwriter John Logan and 21 film stills and behind-the-scenes photos.
Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 scene sneak peek offered by Target
Awards
NAACP Image Award for Literature nominees
Authors
Cormac McCarthy writes an original script
Lists
Oprah: 9 books that will help you change your life
Lighthearted Links of the Week
The alternate titles of famous books
Bookmark to:
RA Run Down
January 15th, 2012The readers’s advisory librarian’s weekly update, from a scan of more than 100 blogs, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and television. This blog is brought to you by the Reader’s Advisor Online. TRY THE FREE RA DATABASE based on Libraries Unlimited’s print Genreflecting Advisory series. Give it a whirl and let us know how you like it. We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to comment on any of our posts, or contact us at raoblog@lu.com. Also check out our free newsletter with more in-depth articles at Reader’s Advisor News.
By Cindy Orr and Sarah Statz Cords
New To the Bestseller Lists This Week:
FICTION
NONFICTION
To Be Published Week of Jan 16-22, 2011:
Fiction
Nonfiction
This is just a sample from our picks of the week. Scroll down or click here for the complete list including ISBNs.
Best Books of 2011
It’s Best Books of the Year season! Look to the right hand column for our collection of links, or click here. As we find new lists, we’ll add them at the top of the column.
News of the Week:
Resolved: Kick the Amazon habit in 2012
Nancy Pearl to work with Amazon on getting favorite books back in print
Michelle Obama reacts to The Obamas by Jodi Kantor, though she hasn’t read it (video), and some express surprise, feeling the book is positive. But others dig deeper.
The ultimate discovery engine: patron driven acquisitions
Author photographer extraordinaire: Marion Ettlinger
Suggestion: the library license for digital works
Was the Year of the Protestor also the Year of the Dystopian Novel?
The business case for reading novels
Trends in nonfiction: what editors are looking for in 2012…UK version
Should publishers build audio apps for cars?
Professional Development Opportunities:
ALA Midwinter (Philadelphia) RA Programs
Friday, January 20, 4pm – 5:30: ERT/Booklist Author Forum with Helen Schulman and Hillary Jordan
Saturday, January 21, 2012 – 10am – 11am – Susan Cain, author of The Forthcoming Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking – Convention Center Theater
Saturday, January 21, 9am – 5pm:
Mystery Day, Convention Center Exhibit Hall: Pop Top Stage, middle of the 2500 Aisle
Don’t Mess With Texas: Local authors
9:00 am -9:45 am
Rachel Brady, Robin Allen, Deborah Crombie, Laura Elvebak, moderator Harry Hunsicker
Remember the Alibi: Traditional mysteries, a roundtable chat with the Women of Jungle Red
10:00 am -10:45 am
Hank Phillippi Ryan, Lucy Burdette, Deborah Crombie and Rosemary Harris, moderator Carol Fitzgerald, www.jungleredwriters.com
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys…and P.I.s and ex-cops and reporters…
11:00 am -11:45 am
Denise Hamilton, Cara Black, Martin Limon, Laura Elvebak, Moderator: Bill Crider
Well, Slap My Knee: What’s so funny about murder?
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Joanna Slan, Rachel Brady, Maria Hudgins, Rosemary Harris, Moderator: Lucy Burdette
Brownbag Interview with Charles (Caroline) Todd with Hank Phillippi Ryan
1:00pm -1:45 pm
Don’t Fence Me In: Mysteries Set in Foreign Countries
2:15 pm-3:00 pm
Cara Black, Deborah Crombie, Martin Limon,Charles (Caroline) Todd, Moderator: Maria Hudgins
Big Roundup: How to Find Out More about What’s Happening in the Mystery Genre, Blogs, Websites, Conferences
3:15 pm -4:00 pm
Joanna Slan, Robin Allen, Harry Hunsicker, Denise Hamilton, Bill Crider, moderator Hank Phillippi Ryan
Sunday, January 22, 10am – 11am John Green – Convention Center Theater
Sunday, January 22, 10am – 5pm:
Romance Day, Convention Center Exhibit Hall: Pop Top Stage, middle of the 2500 Aisle
Historical Romance: From Dukes to Spies and Everything in Between
10:00 am – 10:45 am
Featuring: Elizabeth Essex and Lorraine Heath
From Sweet to Sexy: What’s Happening in Contemporary Romance
11:15 am – 12:00 pm
Featuring: Jane Graves, Emily March, Francis Ray, and Lori Wilde
Wild about YA Romance
12:30 pm – 1:15 pm
Featuring: Rosemary Clement-Moore, Trinity Faegen, and Rachel Hawthorne
Spotlight on Romantic Suspense
1:45 pm – 2:30 pm
Featuring: Jo Davis, Diane Kelly, and Kay Thomas
A Closer Look at Paranormal Romance
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Featuring: Shayla Black, Candace Havens, Kerrelyn Sparks, and J.D. Tyler
Sunday, January 22 – 12:30pm to 1pm - ALA Masters Series: World Book Night – Convention Center
Sunday, January 22, 5pm – 6:30: RUSA Book and Media Awards Reception, Oak Room at the Fairmont Hotel, 1717 North Akard Street
Book Buzz Theater
Saturday, January 21
8 a.m. – 9 a.m………..Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS
11 a.m. – 12:00 noon …..Sterling
……………………………..Macmillan Adult Library Marketing Director Talia Sherer
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m…….Scottie Bowditch, School and Library Marketing Director for Penguin Young Readers
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m…….A Dark and Delectable Feast of Tor’s Upcoming Releases
Sunday, January 22
8 a.m. – 9 a.m……………Abrams Books for Young Readers
11 a.m. – 12 p.m……….. Hachette Book Group and Perseus Books Group Spring Titles
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. ….Bloomsbury/Walker and Kingfisher Books for Young Readers
Books on Screen
Warner Brothers to adapt A Discovery of Witches
Le Carré Reprints Get a New Look As Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy Movie Gives Older Titles a Lift
Ridley Scott to produce movie based on Bill O’Reilly’s Killing Lincoln
Vote on who should play Jack Reacher (Hint: Tom Cruise comes in last.)
Awards
Story Prize finalists: Don DeLillo, Steven Millhauser, Edith Pearlman
2011 National Jewish Book Award winners
Coming February 7: 200th birthday of Charles Dickens; Naxos releases all his works on audio
Authors
Obituary: Reginald Hill, author of the Dalziel and Pascoe mysteries
Lists
Ron Paul’s recommended reading list
Lighthearted Links of the Week
There’s Nothing Quite Like a Real Book (video)
Golden Globe Nominees: The Books That Inspired the Films
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RA Run Down
January 8th, 2012The readers’s advisory librarian’s weekly update, from a scan of more than 100 blogs, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and television. This blog is brought to you by the Reader’s Advisor Online. TRY THE FREE RA DATABASE based on Libraries Unlimited’s print Genreflecting Advisory series. Give it a whirl and let us know how you like it. We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to comment on any of our posts, or contact us at raoblog@lu.com. Also check out our free newsletter with more in-depth articles at Reader’s Advisor News.
By Cindy Orr and Sarah Statz Cords
New To the Bestseller Lists This Week:
FICTION
NONFICTION
To Be Published Week of January 9-15, 2012
Fiction
Nonfiction
This is just a sample from our picks of the week. Scroll down or click here for the complete list, including ISBNs.
Best Books of 2011
It’s Best Books of the Year season! Look to the right hand column for our collection of links, or click here. As we find new lists, we’ll add them at the top of the column.
News of the Week:
Brilliance Audio (now owned by Amazon) suspends sale of new audiobook titles to libraries
When poets fight…bloodletting over an anthology
Costco Pick for January: A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Did you know that more books per capita are produced in Iceland than in most other countries?
Artist inspired by the “erosion of cultures” carves landscapes out of books
A private letter from Genre to Literature
Diary of a Wimpy Kid gets restraining order for Diary of a Zombie Kid
The future of publishing as envisioned by the CEO of Ingram
HarperCollins v. Open Road: The Court Battle that Could Determine the Fate of the Book Industry
The posthumous power of the literary estate
2012’s most anticipated entertainment events
USA Today looks back at books in 2011
The Year in Books – 2011 (audio)
Kirkus Reviews: Best Covers of 2011
Professional Development Opportunities:
Call for Papers/Presentations: The Readers’ Advisory Research and Trends Forum Deadline for submissions: January 15, 2012.
The RUSA/CODES Readers’ Advisory Research and Trends Committee invites submissions of presentations and/or papers for the 5th Readers’ Advisory Research and Trends Forum to be held in Anaheim, CA during ALA’s Annual Conference. The Forum will take place on Saturday, June 23rd from 10:30-12:00.
We invite papers or presentations on various responses to:
Browsing for Pleasure Reading in the Digital Age
All aspects of the topic, including information encountering, 2.0 applications, the intersection of human/computer guidance, ILS integration, the impact of ebook sites, and the implications for cataloging, reviewing, organizing, and searching data are welcome. As are other interpretations and approaches to the topic.
The committee employs a blind review process and will select three projects for 20-minute presentations.
To submit: Send an abstract of your paper or description of your presentation (up to 350 words) to: rusa.raforum@gmail.com by January 15, 2012. Please include on a separate cover sheet your name, title of presentation/paper, institutional affiliation, full contact information, and any technological needs. Include on your abstract ONLY the title of your presentation/paper.
Notification of acceptance will be made by February 27, 2012.
Books on Screen
Screenwriter begins work on Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace
Awards
The 2011 Listen-Up Awards (for audiobooks) announced
Authors
Obituary: Simms Taback, children’s author and illustrator
Obituary: Czech dissident Josef Škvorecký dies in Toronto
Obituary: Romance writer Penny Jordan dies of cancer
Self-published sensation Amanda Hocking hits the big time with her first St. Martin’s titles
George R. R. Martin releases the first chapter of his next book The Winds of Winter for free
Walter Dean Myers becomes the third national ambassador for young people’s literature, following John Scieszka and Katherine Paterson
Nancy Pearl interviews Tamora Pierce (video)
Lists
10 Novels to Watch for in 2012
Top Books for Teens in Detention
Glamour: 11 Can’t-Miss Books Recommended by an Obsessed Reader
Lighthearted Links of the Week
Lord of the Fleas: Classic Book Covers Updated with Cats
Bookmark to:
RA Run Down
January 2nd, 2012The readers’s advisory librarian’s weekly update, from a scan of more than 100 blogs, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and television. This blog is brought to you by the Reader’s Advisor Online. TRY THE FREE RA DATABASE based on Libraries Unlimited’s print Genreflecting Advisory series. Give it a whirl and let us know how you like it. We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to comment on any of our posts, or contact us at raoblog@lu.com. Also check out our free newsletter with more in-depth articles at Reader’s Advisor News.
By Cindy Orr and Sarah Statz Cords
HAPPY 2012!
New To the Bestseller Lists This Week:
Slow week, what with the holiday and all. The New York Times bestseller lists didn’t include any NEW fiction or nonfiction titles.
To Be Published Week of Jan. 2-8, 2012:
Fiction
Nonfiction
This is just a sample from our picks of the week. (Did you see the list of titles being published this week? Holy Cow!) Scroll down or click here for the complete list, including ISBNs.
Best Books of 2011
News of the Week:
E-Readers and eBooks made most of the headlines this week:
Some social media news:
Investor buys into Books-a-Million
Amazon acquisitions continue: now they’ve got the team behind Quorus social shopping service
Edward Champion looks at gender imbalance in reviewing
Top 10 book stories of 2011 (at The Guardian
GalleyCat lists the book stories of the year, by month
Professional Development Opportunities:
New Booklist Webinars on offer: “New Year, New Reference” (Jan. 17) and “Connecting with Struggling Readers” (Jan. 31)
Summer seem a long way off? It’s not, really. Get ready with YALSA’s webinar on summer reading (Jan. 19)
Books on Screen
Latest Sherlock Holmes doing well at the box office
Hunger Games soundtrack coming together
Adaptations of fairy tales and Dickens in the works
Awards
USA Today Author of the Year: George R. R. Martin!
Authors
The Guardian is posting free short stories for your reading pleasure
Sara Paretsky’s new V.I. Warshawski book published during 30th anniversary year
Can’t wait for the next George R. R. Martin book? Read a free excerpt from his next title!
Lists
2011 is SO two days ago:
Here’s the books The Atlantic is looking forward to in 2012
And the movies we’re looking forward to in 2012
20 Nonfiction books to look forward to in 2012
Flavorwire’s Most Anticipated books of 2012
Also, for some lists a bit different from the Best Books lists currently making the rounds:
10 Books for Your Man Cave
10 YA books that make up for Twilight
Lighthearted Links of the Week
Kid literary characters and their grown-up counterparts
British book overdue for 123 years
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